With a 6-2 record at a welcome and well-placed bye week, the Detroit Lions are in a very good spot. With what the rest of the NFC North looks like right now, ending a division title drought that pre-dates the current division their feels like a lock. With that division title would come at least one home playoff game.
Furthermore, the schedule lines up for the Lions to stack plenty more wins after their bye. At the high end of potential outcomes is the No. 1 seed, and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Ford Field will be a tough environment for any team to play in during the playoffs, as rowdy Lions' fans create a real homefield advantage.
But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Let's entertain the possibility, or the strong likelihood frankly, the Lions will have to play a road playoff game if (when) they make it to the postseason.
With the eighth-ranked rushing offense in the NFL entering Week 9 (131.4 yards per game), and the second-ranked run defense (76.8 yards allowed per game), it can be said the Lions' playing style will "travel well" in critical games at the most important time of the season. More than once so far in the regular season, the Lions have closed out opponents the way good teams do-by leaning on what they do best and coming up with timely plays.
Dan Campbell not too concerned about prospect of road playoff games for the Lions
This week, via SI.com, head coach Dan Campbell had a succinct statement about how he feels about the Lions' ability to go on the road in the playoffs and be successful.
"Feel really good," Campbell said. "As long as we play our style of game, we play with our identity, we take care of the football, I feel really good on the road, weather. All good.”
Campbell talked about the Week 8 win over the Raiders as a game the Lions got their identity back with, and he used the word again to convey how he feels about the prospect of going on the road in the playoffs. And that identity does look like a winning formula when it will matter most.